Children's Home run by Phoenix Children’s Homes Limited in Plymouth

Inspection report for children's home: 2604092 1 Registered provider: Phoenix Childcare Ltd Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home is operated by a provider of education and social care. It is registered to provide care for up to two children. At the time of this inspection, one child lived in the home.

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Information about this children’s home

A new manager started on 1 March 2022 and has applied to register with Ofsted.

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Information about this children’s home

We last visited this home on 7 April 2022. A condition requiring the provider to inform Ofsted three months before admitting children to the home was removed in April 2022.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers requires improvement to be good

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good

The children’s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Date of last inspection: 9 November 2021

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: inadequate

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good

Enforcement action since last inspection: none Inspection report for children's home: 2604092 2

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

09/11/2021 Full Inadequate Inspection report for children's home: 2604092 3

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

There are good matching processes in place. As a result, the child’s experience of moving into the home is positive. They are developing trusting relationships with the adults who care for them. This is helping them to make good progress. The child told the inspector that it is staff who make their care a positive experience for them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The child’s views are listened to. They are involved with care planning and understand their future care planning options. Their views contribute to the home’s development, including changes made to the physical environment.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The home has been redecorated. It is homely and well maintained. Photos of the child and staff are framed in the home. Personal touches, such as painted handprints, create a sense of belonging for the child. The child enjoys a range of activities with staff in and out of the home. Activities are captured in photos and included in the child’s memory book.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

From their starting point, the child has made exceptional progress in education. Their attendance has improved, and they have attended all their exams. Feedback from one education provider described the child’s care as having a ‘remarkable’ impact on them. Plans for the child to progress to further education are in place.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child receives care from a consistent staff team. Careful recruitment procedures implemented by the manager have ensured that the risk of unsuitable adults working in the home is reduced.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff demonstrate care by spending time with the child and speaking to them about issues impacting their life. While the child is informed about specialist help available to them, daily records do not fully detail interventions by staff. This includes missed opportunities to engage the child in discussion about important issues.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The child is settling into the home and responding to boundaries that have been implemented. There have been no incidents, including missing-from-home events.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

While the manager has forged links with partner agencies, strong partnership working is not yet established to ensure that all steps that might be necessary to keep children safe and healthy are taken. This includes strategies to identify and manage risks in the community and to help the child improve their sleep routine.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

There is a current fire risk assessment in place and recommended actions have been completed. Regular evacuation exercises are meaningful and involve the child and staff to prepare them in the event of a fire in the home. Inspection report for children's home: 2604092 4

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good

There have been many changes to the staff team. This has not impacted the child’s care due to changes having been made before the child moved into the home.

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good

During this inspection, the manager presented as organised and efficient. They have worked hard to develop a cohesive staff team. Staff feel supported, and they are confident in the manager’s abilities to lead the home.

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good

Staff receive regular supervision. However, the inspector found that good-quality supervision that seeks to develop learning and skills is not yet in place. In addition, management oversight recorded across the child’s records does not monitor the quality of care effectively. This is needed to ensure that children’s experiences are continually improved.

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good

Staff have received training necessary to care for children safely. Training in line with the child’s specific needs has guided staff to provide care that is sensitive to their needs. This includes the manager sourcing additional information and providing this to staff. This care will support the child to develop a positive self-image.

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good

However, some care approaches are not used consistently by staff when responding to the child. This relates to a therapeutic approach that the manager told the inspector they wish to instil in the home. This needs to develop, including clear direction provided to staff, to ensure that the child is fully supported to achieve positive outcomes. Inspection report for children's home: 2604092 5

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The leadership and management standard is that the registered person enables, inspires and leads a culture in relation to the children’s home that —

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Requirement Due date

helps children aspire to fulfil their potential; and

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Requirement Due date

In particular, the standard in paragraph (1) requires the registered person to —

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Requirement Due date

lead and manage the home in a way that is consistent with the approach and ethos, and delivers the outcomes, set out in the home’s statement of purpose;

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Requirement Due date

ensure that staff have the experience, qualifications and skills to meet the needs of each child;

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Requirement Due date

understand the impact that the quality of care provided in the home is having on the progress and experiences of each child and use this understanding to inform the development of the quality of care provided in the home. (Regulation 13 (1)(a)(b) (2)(a)(c)(f))

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Requirement Due date

In particular, leaders and managers should ensure that staff are provided with clear guidance and strategies that promote the child’s welfare in the community and help them to develop healthy routines.

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Requirement Due date

In addition, leaders and managers should review the quality of care regularly to ensure that staff have the skills necessary to meet the child’s needs, and to ensure that their experiences are continually improved. 28 October 2022 Inspection report for children's home: 2604092 6

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people, using the social care common inspection framework. This inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children’s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the ‘Guide to the Children’s Homes Regulations, including the quality standards’. Inspection report for children's home: 2604092 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Phoenix Childcare Ltd

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: Support Hub, Unit 5, Chinon Court, Lower Moor Way, Tiverton, Devon EX16 6SS

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Inspector

Louise Bacon, Social Care Inspector Inspection report for children's home: 2604092 8 to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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